Macomb County flooding damage tops $300 million

Julie Torres of Palomino Street in Warren removed the contents of her entire basement and is shown working on removing drywall. Water rose more than halfway up her walls.
RAY SKOWRONEK--THE MACOMB DAILY

The Aug. 11 thunderstorm that dumped between 2 inches and more than 5 inches of rain across Macomb County caused more than $300 million in damages, according to the latest assessment of the storm’s impact.

Twenty one homes were destroyed and 750 sustained “major” damage, according to the report issued Wednesday by the Macomb County Department of Emergency Management.

More than 24,100 homes had minor damage. Almost 3,900 sustained minimal damages, defined as cosmetic and with less than 3 inches of water in any occupied room.

Five businesses in Macomb County reported having major damage; 26 had minor damage; and one was described as being slightly affected.

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As of Wednesday, the total losses to private property stand at $274 million.

In Warren, the hardest-hit community, more than 18,247 homes and businesses had varying degrees of damage, officials said. Some residents say all of their belongings were destroyed, and they are hoping for federal disaster relief because their homeowner’s insurance does not cover their losses.

But private properties –- residential or commercial –- weren’t the only ones impacted.

A dozen government buildings were affected by the flooding, too. Those include Sterling Heights City Hall, the 37th District Court building in Warren and the Warren police station.

Government property losses currently are estimated at $26.7 million.

The county-wide assessment is based on damage reports across Macomb and filed with local governments or the county.

As of last Friday, at least 20,000 individual reports had been submitted.

While touring a hard-hit block near Ryan Road, south of 10 Mile Road with Gov. Rick Snyder and Congressman Sander Levin, Warren Mayor James Fouts said the damage in the city would reach “well over” $100 million, with residential estimates ranging from $1,000 to $15,000.

Several Warren Police Department and Fire Department vehicles were damaged. Many stalled as first responders rushed to aid stranded motorists or to respond to electrical fires.

Warren Fire Commissioner Wilburt McAdams reported that damage to 17 fire rigs was between $500,000 and $2 million. He said six vehicles may have to be replaced.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel has said he also is worried that a lot of the damage done to roads and highways during the flood has not become visible yet and will start showing up over the next several months into next spring.

Noting widespread and severe potholes this last winter and spring, Hackel said Friday officials think the impact on roads will be even greater next spring if the Legislature doesn’t allocate more money for road repairs.

Leo Ciavatta, superintendent of the county Department of Roads, said water that doesn’t drain and remains during winter can cause heaving and cracking of roads and highways when it freezes.

Congressman Gary Peters announced Wednesday the U.S. Department of Transportation will provide $750,000 to the Michigan Department of Transportation to assist with the repair of roads in metropolitan Detroit damaged by the flooding.

“Last week’s devastating flooding has tremendously impacted communities across the greater Detroit area,” said Peters, a West Bloomfield Township Democrat. “This emergency funding will give the Michigan Department of Transportation some of the resources it needs to repair the severe damage to our roads and freeways in the wake of this storm.”

Filing damage reports is considered vital, as the state prepares to submit a formal request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster relief funds.

Property owners who experienced flooding damage but have not yet reported it are strongly urged to call the Macomb County information hotline at 586-493-6767 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. seven days a week and/or complete a “damage assessment report form” that can be found on the county Emergency Management web site, http://oemc.macombgov.org or at a local government office. For additional questions, send an email to mcoem@mcombgov.org.

Snyder said state officials plan to submit a report to FEMA by the end of this week.